Thursday, May 10, 2018

News Release - Winnipeg Police Service

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Arsons  Arrest: C18-95370 District 3 General Patrol and Major Crime Unit members have recently made an arrest of a 19-year-old male for a number of recent arson incidents in the Downtown/West End and North End areas of Winnipeg.

Investigators believe that a number of fires were deliberately set between May 1 and May 9, 2018:

- 100 block of Balmoral Street (fire set to a garage, which spread to a second garage and garbage bins) - 100 block of Spence Street (fire set to a garage and a recycling bin) - 600 block of Wellington Avenue (fire set to a garage and a recycling bin, which spread to a second garage and two houses) - 900 block of Redwood Avenue (fire set to a garage) - 1000 block of Machray Avenue (fire set in a yard next to a garage) - 400 block of Cairnsmore Street (fire set a garage and a utility pole). - 1300 block of Magnus Avenue (fire set to a garage) - First 100 block of Albina Way (fire set to a fence) - First 100 block of Timmins Avenue (fire set to a garage and a fence) - 100 block of Cartwright Road (fire set to a garage) - 1400 block of Leila Avenue (fire set to a garage and a fence) - First 100 block of Albina Way (fire set to a fence) - First 100 block of Maevista Place (fire set to a garage, vehicle, fence and garbage can) - 600 block of Sheppard Street (fire set to a shed, fence and a garbage can) - First 100 block of Lavender Bay (fire set to two garages, two vehicles and a fence) - First 100 block of Manford Close (fire set to a house and a fence)

On May 9, 2018, at approximately 11:15 a.m., District 3 General Patrol officers responding to the fires in the area of Manford Close located a suspect on a bicycle near James Carleton Drive and Leila Avenue. The male had matched a description provided by a number of witnesses during the fires and was taken into custody without incident.

A search of the male led to the seizure of a number of items including incendiary materials. Members of the Major Crimes Unit continued with an extensive investigation and identified the suspect as being responsible for the prior fires.

River Jacob Parrenas Tavares, a 19-year-old male of Winnipeg,has been charged with:

AIR 1 Provides Assistance During Fires During the first eight days of May, the Winnipeg Police Service helicopter, AIR 1, provided aerial assistance during a number of fires.

The helicopter's flight crew, thermal imaging sensor and camera were able to assist members of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service with directing fire suppression resources and locating previously unlocated hotspots.

The Winnipeg Police Service has received a number of inquiries about the assistance of AIR 1 in these fires and we are providing a video to highlight the effectiveness of this collaboration. The video will be disseminated to media agencies and posted on our Facebook page for viewing.

Drug/Weapons  Arrest: C18-94628 On May 8, 2018, at approximately 12:20 p.m., members of the Division 11 Community Support Unit observed a vehicle in the area of Cecil Street and Logan Avenue.

Computer checks revealed the owner of a vehicle had a warrant for her arrest.

Officers conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as the owner. A passenger was also found to have a warrant for his arrest. Both were taken into custody and a search resulted in the seizure of a number of items including the following:

Joseph Richard Laquette, a 33-year-old male of Winnipeg, has been charged with:

- Possession of a Weapon (x4) - Possession of a Prohibited Weapon Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (x2) - Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking - Methamphetamine - Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking - Oxycodone - Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000 - Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000 - Possession of an Identity Document - Possession of Prohibited Weapon Contrary to Prohibition Order (x5) - Fail to Comply with Probation Order (x2)

Laquette was also processed on an outstanding warrant for:

- Fail to Comply with Probation Order (x2)

He was detained in custody.

A 30-year-old female of Winnipeg has been arrested for:

- Possession of a Weapon (x3) - Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Weapon (x2) - Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking - Methamphetamine - Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking - Oxycodone - Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000 - Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000 - Possession of an Identity Document